Contraception
Volume 81, Issue 3 , Pages 185-196, March 2010

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and hormonal contraceptives for pain relief from dysmenorrhea: a review☆

  • Hans-Peter Zahradnik

      Affiliations

    • Clinic for Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University Hospital Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Clinic for Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University Hospital Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany. Tel.: +49761/2703150; fax: +49761/2702912.
    • ,
  • Aida Hanjalic-Beck

      Affiliations

    • Clinic for Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University Hospital Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
    • ,
  • Klaus Groth

      Affiliations

    • Grünenthal GmbH, 52099 Aachen, Germany

Received 28 September 2009; accepted 28 September 2009. published online 09 November 2009.

Abstract 

Background

This article is a comprehensive overview of dysmenorrhea and a systematic review of the available literature on the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and hormonal contraceptives for the therapy and management of dysmenorrhea.

Study Design

A comprehensive search of the PubMed database for clinical trials and observational studies of dysmenorrhea treatments from 2004 onwards.

Results

Eighteen publications were identified. Ten randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing NSAIDs for treating primary dysmenorrhea demonstrated superior pain relief compared with placebo, but no superiority was established among different NSAIDS. Two RCTs and six nonrandomized observational or prospective studies assessing the effect of hormonal contraceptives on dysmenorrhea strongly suggest a beneficial effect for dysmenorrheic pain relief and were conducted mainly in larger populations (N=41–6169) than those in the NSAID trials (N=10–337). Ethinylestradiol/chlormadinone acetate was the only formulation that provided a more pronounced relief of dysmenorrheic pain compared with a parallel alternative or previously used hormonal contraceptive. Methodological inconsistencies were widespread between the hormonal contraceptive studies.

Conclusions

The findings of this review support the use of NSAIDs as a first-line therapy for pain relief from dysmenorrhea in women without wish for contraception. For women who wish contraception, combined oral contraceptives (COCs) are the preferential therapy for pain relief from dysmenorrhea as the additional noncontraceptive benefit of pain relief from dysmenorrhea is not linked to additional risks, eliminates the risks associated with taking NSAIDs and is a more suitable long-term option. Recommendations are made to strengthen the impact of future trials through improved methodology.

Keywords: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, Hormonal contraceptives, Pain relief, Dysmenorrhea

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☆ The research was funded by Grünenthal GmbH, Aachen, Germany.

PII: S0010-7824(09)00445-4

doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2009.09.014

Contraception
Volume 81, Issue 3 , Pages 185-196, March 2010

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